Gravity operated noisemaking toy



31, 1954 J. A. FRAMPTON 2,637,833

GRAVITY OPERATED NOISEMAKING TOY Filed June 15, 1953 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 31, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved noisemaking toy or other novelty device, the object thereof being to provide a toy or similar article in the form of a box or container having a movable false lid, and wherein gravity-responsive noise-making means are disposed internally of the box or container which are adapted to be actuated upon movement of the lid from its normal position of application on the box to produoe a noise which comes as a surprise to one unfamiliar with the operational features of the device. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a noise-making toy or novelty having an outer boxing containing a movable weight-actuated and gravity-responsive noise-producing bellows, and wherein the latter is adapted to be pivotally mounted within the boxing and held in an out of balance position by a movable boxing carried stop element, the latter being so constructed and arranged as to effect the release of the bellows when a movable false lid or cover carried by the boxing is moved manually from its normal position, such lid movement enabling the off-balanced bellows to turn bodily about its pivotal mounting axis and assume a position in which the bellows is collapsed by the movement of an associated weight element, the exhaust of air from the bellows serving to operate a vibratory noise-producing means, whereby a peculiar audible surprise-furnishing sound is created which renders the device appealing as a toy or novelty.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simplified and improved noise-making novelty of the character set forth which is composed of but few and simple operating parts and which may be manufactured at a low cost.

Further objects, advantages and various novel constructural features of my invention will be readily understood through consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein has been illustrated by way of example a. preferred embodiment of the invention.

In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the improved novelty toy comprising the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken through the toy on the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through the sound-making bellows unit of the present invention. In this figure, the bellows unit has been shown in full lines in its raised or triggerheld position, and in broken lines in its lowered or trigger-released position.

Fig. 4. is a plan view showing the top of the box or container utilized by the present invention and illustrating the adjustable stop or trigger member employed in controlling the operation of the pivotally-mounted gravity-responsive bellows or sound-making unit.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, my improved noise-making toy or novelty device comprises a boxing I composed of paperboard, or other relatively inexpensive thin sheet material. In this instance, the boxing comprises a bottom 2, upstanding side walls 3 and a top wall 4. Removably positioned on the wall 4 is a flanged cover or lid 5, the latter including depending side flanges 6 which engage closely the Walls 3 so that said cover or lid will be frictionally retained in its position of application on the top of the box or container, after the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In this instance, the inner and lower portion of the boxing is formed with reenforcing walls I. Carried by these walls is a transversely extending and horizontally disposed bail 8, the latter having downturned ends 9, which are interposed between the outer walls 3 of the boxing and the reenforcing wall 1, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2.

Pivotally mounted on the bail 8 is a swinging sound-producing bellows unit H], which comprises a cylindrical casing ll. As here shown, the casing comprises a bottom I2, a rigid cylindrical side wall 13 and a fixed perforated top I4. The casing further includes a pair of transversely spaced fulcruming extensions 15, which are apertured to receive the horizontal portion of the bail 8, whereby said bail functions as a horizontal axis of turning movement for the bellows unit generally.

Within the casing the bellows proper is situated, the same involving a flexible body l6 formed with spiral flutes or convolutions ll of an accordion-like nature. The body [6 is suitably fastened to the bottom l2 of the casing I I, while the opposite end of said body is fixed to a weightfurnishing disk element [8, the latter being formed preferably from a ceramic composition, although other materials may be used. The disk element includes an opening 20 which communicates with the interior of the body [6 on one side thereof and with perforations 2|, formed in the casing wall 14, on its opposite side. On its inner surface the disk element is provided with one or more noise-making vibratory reeds 22 which is arranged so that as the bellows body 16 is collapsed and air forced thereby from the interior of the body past the reed or reeds 22, noisefurnishing vibrations are set up of an audible character.

In controlling the movement of the bellows, the casing [3 thereof is positioned in an out of balance manner, as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 3. In this off-balanced position, the bellows casing is held against movement by the lower edge 23 as a stop or trigger member 24. In this instance, and for economy in manufacture, said member constitutes an integral part of the container top 4, the stop member including the angularly related legs shown at 25 and 26, the leg 25 being hingedly flexed as at 2! with the top 4, while the opposite or free edge of the leg 26 projects through a slot 28 provided in the top 4 and engages with the under surface of the false cover or lid 5.

Thus, with the boxing in an upright position illustrated in Fig. 1, it will be seen that the stop or trigger member will have its lower edge 23 held by the lid or cover in a position of engagement with leg 25, preventing the bellows unit from turning about its axis 8. However, when the lid or cover 5 is removed, the weight of the off-balanced diaphragm or bellows unit will cause the latter to turn about its pivotal axis in response to gravity, such turning movement continuing until the bellows casing contacts the bottom wall 2, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. At this time the weighted disk element [8 of the bellows unit descends gravitationally, compressing the flexible portion I6 of the spirally pleated body I! and causing the evolvement of the noise as previously indicated.

This noise may be of various kinds, although at present I prefer that the same shall imitate the bleat or whinny of a farm animal. To the uninformed user of the device, the noise resulting from the removal of the lid or cover 5 comes as a surprise, heightening the novelty efiect of the device. To restore the toy for another use, the boxing is inverted to cause the bellows to swing to the top of the box and while so inverted the lid or cover 5 is reapplied to bring the stop or trigger member 24 into its active position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, holding the bellows against downward or noise-producing movement.

In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides a simple, surprisefurnishing, noise-making toy or novelty which can be produced at a low cost and which, because of its mechanical simplicity, may be employed for long periods of time without having its operation impaired.

While I have disclosed what I consider to be a presently preferred form of the present invention, nevertheless it will be understood that its structural details are such that certain variation or modification without departing necessarily from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A noise-making toy comprising: a container; 2:. cover movably mounted on said container; a gravity-type weight-actuated noise-producing bellows unit; means pivotally mounting said unit in said container for bodily turning movement about a substantially horizontal axis; and a movable stop member carried by said container for controlling rocking movement on the part of said unit, said stop member having contact with said cover when the latter is actively positioned on the container to cause said stop member to assume a position in the plane of oscillation of said unit, whereby to restrain said unit against noise-producing oscillation about its pivotal mounting, the release of said cover from its active position serving to admit of movement of said stop member to a position permitting of gravity oscillation of said unit to cause the same to generate sound.

2. A noise-making novelty comprising: a rigidwalled container; a gravity-type weight-actuated noise-producing bellows unit; means pivotally mounting said unit in said container for bodily turning movement about a stationary axis; a movable stop member carried by said container and disposed normally in contact with said container to preclude rotation thereof about said axis, the movement of said stop member to a re leasing position serving to enable said bellows unit to turn about its axis from a relatively elevated position above said axis to a pendant position below said axis; and movable manually operated means carried by said container in a position concealing said stop member, movement of said manually operated means from a position concealing said stop member serving to admit of movement of said member under forces applied thereto by the gravitational descent of said bellows unit to a noise-producing position.

3. A noise-making novelty comprising: a rigidwalled container formed with an internal chamber having a top; a gravity-type weight actuated noise-producing bellows unit; means pivotally mounting said unit for bodily turning movement in said chamber about a substantially horizontal axis; a pivotally movable stop member arranged in the upper part of said chamber and disposed in an upright oiT-center position; a movable cover device carried by said container at the top thereof, said cover device normally concealing said stop member from exterior view and serving to maintain said member in a position in which said bellows unit is retained in its upright offcenter postion, the removal of said cover serving to cause said stop member to respond to the weight of the bellows unit thereon and assume an inactive position releasing said bellows unit and causing the same to gravitate to its lowered pendant position below said axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,277,229 Lloyd Aug. .27, 1918 1,675,832 Steiner July 3, 1928 1,709,841 Costa Apr. 23, 1929 2,598,807 Lawson June 7, 1952 

